The City of Brownwood hosted a retirement reception on Wednesday celebrating the retirement of Brownwood Chief of Police Mike Corley. Friends, family, coworkers and many previous coworkers attended the reception to wish Corley well.
Corley served a total of 40 years in law enforcement in the cities of Midland, Richardson and Brownwood. He began working in high school, at the age of 17 in the ID department of the Midland Police Department, doing fingerprinting for two years before he entered law enforcement at the age of 19 as an officer for Midland PD (1974-1980). He then moved to Richardson where he served from 1980-2010. He ended his law enforcement career as Chief of Police in Brownwood, serving from 2010 until the present date.
Several presentations were made honoring Corley for his service. Blake Woodall, representing Texas Senator Troy Fraser’s office, presented a Texas flag. This flag was flown over the Texas Capitol in Corley’s honor on his recently deceased daughter’s birthday, April 23, 2016.
Area Police Chiefs attended the reception, including Chief Jimmy Ellison of Abilene Christian University, Robert Martinez of San Angelo Police Department, Abilene Police Chief Stan Standridge, Early Police Chief David Mercer, Bangs Chief of Police Jorge Camarillo and Chief Paul Lilly of the HPU Department of Public Safety.
On behalf of the Texas Police Chiefs Association, Chief Standridge presented Corley with a commemorative night stick which was engraved with the words, “Chief Mike Corley, Texas Police Chief Retired, ‘Well done good and faithful servant.’”
Standridge spoke of the Biblical story of Jacob and the coat of many colors, relating it to a career in law enforcement, “22 years of leadership in the making. If we had enough time to sit down, we could let Chief Mike Corley tell his story which started in 1974. I am going to speculate that his story is full of trial, tribulation, pain, sorrow, but aren’t we thankful that that is not the final chapter,” said Standridge. “Pastors call that ‘formative joy,’ when you walk through all of those circumstances and God transforms that perseverance into joy. Today is about joy. I just want to say in a true reflection of Joseph, I have become a good friend with a man named Mike Corley.”
BPD officer Fred Bastardo, on behalf of the Brownwood Municipal Police Association, presented Corley with a commemorative shadowbox with a recent photo of the department, his badge number, and uniform patches.
BPD Assistant Chief James Fuller addressed Chief Corley’s wife Sheryl, stating that she had encouraged him and gave a little advise when Chief Corley was first hired. He recounted her advice, “Mike is a difficult person to work for, he is stubborn, but hang in there.” So as Corley retires, Fuller stated he wished to give Mrs. Corley a bit of advice, “Mike Corley is now yours,” he began. “Sometimes he will be a difficult man, but hang in there.” Fuller then thanked Sheryl for being a supportive law enforcement wife of 40 years and on behalf of the department presented her with a dozen red roses.
Brownwood Fire Department Assistant Chief Grady Shuey and Fire Marshal Buddy Preston presented Corley with an honorary BFD t-shirt and patch and thanked him for the good relationship he and BPD have with the fire department.
City Manager Emily Crawford then presented Corley with a commemorative clock and thank him for his service to law enforcement and the community.
Corley then addressed the crowd and stated his appreciation for everyone’s attendance and support through the years. He stated that although he was proud of his law enforcement career, he wanted to be remembered for many things, “being a good son, father, grandfather, brother and husband, then as a police officer.”
Corley introduced his family in attendance, and thanked his wife for being the wife of a police officer for 40 years. He thanked everyone for attending and for the support.
“When we came here from the big city to the small city, things were different, but what I hold on to is our name tag, our ‘Feels Like Home.’ And when I first got here, I thought that was pretty corny, but it is really true. You have really made me feel like this is my home, enough so that we want to stay here,” said Corley. “We came here from the big city and everyone wrapped their arms around us. There is nothing that we needed that didn’t get taken care of with love and support. I don’t know where else you could go to find that. This is a very special place. I am glad to have served here and to have lived here.”
Pictured above is Corley accepting the flag and certificate presented by Blake Woodall from Senator Fraser’s office.
Below are more photos from the reception.
Chief Standridge presents a night stick from the Texas Police Chiefs Association to Corley.
Officer Bastardo presents Corley with a shadow box from the BMPA.
Assistant Chief Fuller addresses Mrs. Corley (pictured right).
Assistant Chief Grady Shuey (left) and Fire Marshal Buddy Preston (center) present Corley with an honorary t-shirt and patch from Brownwood Fire Department.
Brownwood City Manger Emily Crawford presents a commemorative clock to Chief Corley.
